20-Minute Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese

a cast iron dutch oven with smoked gouda mac and cheese.

5 from 4 ratings

20-Minute Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese

This smoked Gouda mac and cheese recipe is full of flavor, incredibly creamy, and kid-friendly. Even better, it can be made in one pot - no muss, no fuss, no draining, and no roux.

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: gouda mac and cheese, mac and cheese with smoked gouda

Servings:

Author: Sarah Cook

Equipment

Ingredients

4 1/4 cups water
1 lb shell or elbow noodles {feel free to use any preferred pasta}
1/2 cup butter {1 stick}{cut into cubes}
12 oz evaporated milk {1 can}
1/8 tsp nutmeg {optional}
1/2 tsp dry mustard {optional}
2 cups smoked gouda, shredded
2 cups extra sharp cheddar
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
1/2 tsp salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a large saucepan, bring 4 1/4 cups of water to a boil.
4 1/4 cups water
Add pasta, salt, and butter to the saucepan. Stir to combine.
1/2 cup butter, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 lb shell or elbow noodles
Reduce the stove temp to medium-high, and occasionally stir the mixture, until almost all of the water has been absorbed by the pasta (~8 minutes).
Add the evaporated milk, dry mustard (optional), nutmeg (optional), and cheeses, and stir gently until all the cheese has melted.
12 oz evaporated milk, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp dry mustard, 2 cups smoked gouda, shredded, 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan, 2 cups extra sharp cheddar

Notes

Evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk are NOT the same thing. Only evaporated milk will work in this recipe.
If you don’t have evaporated milk, you can sub in regular milk, half-and-half, or cream. Just make sure you heat it before adding it to the hot pasta. This prevents the milk from curdling, resulting in a grainy cheese sauce.

Nutrition